1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to devices for protecting framed artwork and the surface and perimetric edges of the frame.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Artwork such as paintings, drawings, photography and the like is often stretched over or around bars acting as rigid frames. The artwork may be unique and invaluable from either a financial or sentimental standpoint. It is oftentimes necessary to box the artwork for shipping, transportation or storage. All too frequently, the artwork is scratched or otherwise damaged when contacted by other frames or components with which it is shipped and sometimes damage is inflicted on the framework which itself can be very artistic and quite valuable.
In recognition of the need for protecting framed artwork and the like, many proposals have been made for protection of the frame and face of renderings and paintings. It has been proposed to provide wire clips which might clip over the corners of a picture frame to capture the respective corners of the rectangular frame for holding a covering material in position over the frame. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 467,700 to Levy. Devices of this type suffer the shortcoming that the adjacent objects may still be moved into close proximity and possibly contact and indent, scrape or otherwise damage the artwork itself.
Other efforts to provide protection for framed artwork have led to the proposal of wire clips formed for attachment to the backsides of the frames and to project over the edges of the frames themselves to form barriers at the front and sides of the frame seeking to protect the frame and purportedly allow a cloth or net covering to be stretched over the front of the artwork in hope of providing protection. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 8,363,010 to Brown. While providing some protection against dust and low impact contact, such devices fail to provide a sturdy, rigid barrier to positively prevent contact with the surface of the artwork around the corners and along all four sides of a frame.
Efforts have also been made to provide a somewhat sturdier device for attaching to a frame for spacing a covering from the front side of artwork and the frame. One such device includes a resilient visor device configured with a clamp like structure formed with a flange intended to fit against the inside wall from the back of the frame and to then flex and clip over the top of the frame to engage a lip with the front side of the frame to purportedly hold a curved visor in place t project forwardly of the lip. A device of this type is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,606,140.
Such devices, while beneficial for certain applications where frames are of a uniform dimension and depth, suffer the shortcoming that they are limited to only specific applications for certain frames, are not adaptable to different sizes of frames and can be readily dislodged by a jostling motion to which artwork might be exposed during movement, transportation and storage.